Like giant fingers reaching and clawing their way into the rugged expanses of the rainforests and snow of the Southern Alps, numerous fiords (glaciated valleys flooded by the rising sea level since the last Ice Age) penetrate the southwestern South Island of New Zealand. Encompassing these fiords is Fiordland National Park - a reserve that seeks to protect the wild natural resources within its rugged landscape. One of these fiords is the Milford Sound.Throughout the Milford Sound, towering snow-capped and rainforested peaks surround the flooded glaciated valley. Watching over the scene like a sentinel whose head scrapes the sky is the iconic Mitre Peak, which is so-named because of its resemblance to a bishop's mitre. At 1692m in height, Mitre Peak also happens to be one of the tallest peaks in the world that immediately rises from sea level. Sitting right across from the iconic mountain is Stirling Falls, which tumbles 155m beneath a hanging valley formed between the imaginatively-named Elephant and Lion Mountains. Near the head of the Milford Sound, Bowen Falls makes a dramatic 161m tumble.
On calm and moody days, the inlet can reflect the majestic panorama lying before you like a mirror. Upon cruising the fiord, bottlenose dolphins race through the inlet sometimes putting on a show doing backflips. Fiordland crested penguins can be seen waddling within some of the quieter parts of the fiord while New Zealand fur seals can be seen resting atop rocks before returning to the cold water.
But not all the inhabitants are as docile and benign. Swarms of sandflies nourish themselves with human blood often leaving behind welts that are even more irritating and itchier than their mosquito cousins. Even daring keas (an alpine parrot) constantly look for opportunities to steal your food or peck into anything made of rubber (including the linings, windshield wipers, and tires of your car). They often have a loud piercing screech as part of their bird song, which can disrupt the otherwise relative quiet of the fiord. Tree avalanches are also not uncommon as the dense and tangling roots of the rainforest can sometimes result in major landslides triggered by a single fallen tree - often times leaving a big scar on the steep valley walls. The area is also prone to frequent rains and overcast conditions, which can reduce the magical panorama into a misty, foggy blanket of grey.
Despite the less-than-ideal aspects of the fiord, it is all part of the balance and processes involved in making the Milford Sound the misty, mythical, and magical place it is. So far, nature has been allowed to operate (for the most part) patiently and methodically to produce the inadvertent beauty we cherish and seek that is found within Fiordland National Park. Indeed, the Milford Sound embodies the essence of New Zealand's natural beauty - just the way nature intended.
